A pair of former Nebraska offensive line greats were among eight individuals selected to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2015 class of inductees.
Mick Tingelhoff was a standout center for the Minnesota Vikings following his Nebraska career, while Will Shields followed his Husker career by becoming a perennial All-Pro for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The announcement of the Hall’s 2015 class came on Saturday evening in Arizona as part of the NFL’s Super Bowl weekend. Tingelhoff was chosen for induction by the Hall’s senior committee, while Shields was elected in his fourth season as a modern-era Hall of Fame finalist.
They are joined in the 2015 class by Tim Brown, Jerome Bettis, Charles Haley, Junior Seau and contributors Bill Polian and Ron Wolf. The class of 2015 will enshrined on Saturday, Aug. 8 in Canton, Ohio.
Tingelhoff and Shields will become the fourth and fifth Nebraska players to be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The duo joins Guy Chamberlin, Roy “Link” Lyman and Bob Brown as Nebraska players to be a part of the Hall of Fame. Brown was the most recent Husker inductee, being enshrined in the Hall in 2004.
A native of Lexington, Neb., Tingelhoff started all 240 games he played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1962 to 1978. Regarded as the best center of his era, Tingelhoff played on four Vikings’ teams that advanced to the Super Bowl. Tingelhoff played in 19 total playoff games during his career, and helped the Vikings win 10 division titles between 1968 and 1978.
Tingelhoff was a six-time Pro Bowl selection, and a five-time first team All-Pro choice, while also earning second-team All-Pro honors one time in his career. Tingelhoff was a true ironman for Minnesota. In addition to playing in every game during his career, he reportedly never missed a practice with the Vikings.
Tingelhoff is part of the Viking Ring of Honor and his #53 Minnesota jersey is retired by the organization.
Tingelhoff was an undrafted free agent following his Nebraska playing career. A three-year letterwinner, Tingelhoff was a co-captain of the 1961 Cornhuskers. He played on the offensive line alongside Bob Brown, now a fellow NFL Hall of Famer. Tingelhoff was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 1980.
Shields also joins Brown and Chamberlin as the only Nebraska players in both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Shields was inducted into the College Hall of Fame in 2011.
A consensus All-American and a Lombardi Award semifinalist as a senior in 1992, Shields is one of only six Husker linemen to earn all-conference honors for three straight seasons. As a senior, Shields received votes for Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year and earned All-America honors from Kodak, AP, UPI, Walter Camp and Football News.
During his junior campaign, he was a unanimous selection to the All-Big Eight team and a second-team All-American, helping the Huskers rank first in the conference in rushing offense and total offense.
Shields became the second offensive lineman to play as a true freshman in 1989, appearing in nine games. In his second year, Shields became the first sophomore lineman since College Football Hall of Famer Dave Rimington to earn first-team all-conference honors for NU, helping the Huskers lead the Big Eight in scoring, rushing and total offense. Shields’ No. 75 Nebraska jersey was retired at the 1994 Spring Game, one of 17 Nebraska retired jerseys.
Following his collegiate career, Shields was selected by the Chiefs in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He spent 14 seasons as one of the most dominant offensive linemen in the NFL until retiring after the 2006 season. Shields earned a spot in 12 Pro Bowls and started more than 200 straight games in his brilliant professional career.
Shields was also one of the most active volunteers and community leaders in the NFL. He is the co-founder of the Will to Succeed Foundation with his wife, Senia. The foundation was organized to guide, inspire and improve the lives of abused and neglected women and children. For his remarkable work with charitable and community organizations, Shields was named the NFL Man of the Year in 2003.
